Bounce-Back Candidates for Wisconsin Football in 2024
Here are a few Badgers primed for a bounce-back in 2024.
The 2023 season for the Wisconsin Badgers football team under head coach Luke Fickell didn't live up to its lofty preseason expectations.
Installing a new offensive identity, misjudging the strengths of its defensive personnel, and a wholesale culture change led to a bit of a roller-coaster inaugural season for Fickell and his staff in Madison.
"Anytime there's a change, there's just different ways of doing things, and you take those guys that have been here for four and five years, and they do get into a routine," Fickell said. "It's not wrong, it's not bad, it's just different. And embracing the things that are different is what's difficult.
"I think when some of the adversity hit, that's where we ran into some issues. And it doesn't mean, like I said, it's not that it was bad before, it's just when things are different, how you practice, the expectations you might have, it's not easiest on those guys."
But 2024 offers a clean slate for Fickell and the Badgers, who have some work to do to restore the program to its former status. Since 2020, the team has posted a 27-19 overall record and a 19-15 mark in Big Ten play.
For Wisconsin to take a substantial step forward this season, they'll need a handful of bounce-back performances from some key players. Let's examine five players who could be in line for a more impactful 2024 season.
Bryson Green, Wide Receiver
It's hard to knock a guy who was third on the team in receptions (32) and second in receiving yards (480), but I think Bryson Green is someone who can and should make a much more significant impact next season.
I was among the people who thought Green would be a bigger factor in the passing game when he transferred from Oklahoma State. While it was a slow burn, fans caught a glimpse of what he could do in the Reliaquest Bowl when he put together his best performance of the season, catching seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Green showed flashes of being that downfield threat Wisconsin football needs on the outside to help complement Will Pauling in the slot.
"Bryson Green, I think, is an absolute monster; he's a freak," Strength Coach Brady Collins said on Locked on Badgers. "He should not be able to do some of the things he does, but he does, and it's unbelievable. I think he's due for something really, really freaky."
Green had his opportunities with 68 targets (2nd most on the team), but the offense's timing was a little off and went through its ebbs and flows. If the passing game improves in 2024 (and it should), I believe Green has the potential to have a much more impactful season for the Badgers.
Nyzier Fourqurean, Cornerback
The Badgers' cornerback room underwent a lot of changes in 2023. By season's end, Grand Valley State transfer Nyzier Fourqurean started five of the last six games on the outside opposite Ricardo Hallman.
While Fourqurean's emergence was noteworthy, his metrics illustrated how much room there was for improvement. He registered 39 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and two pass breakups, earning the 6-foot-1 Ohio native a Pro Football Focus grade of 56.8. His poor coverage grade (53.7) had a lot to do with how often opposing QBs targeted Fourqurean to avoid Hallman.
Among Big Ten cornerbacks who played at least 20% of their team's snaps in 2023, Fourqurean posted the fifth-worst NFL passer rating when targeted at 107.0. Further, he was targeted once every 4.7 snaps—the second-highest frequency in the Big Ten—and allowed a reception every 7.2 snaps, the worst rate in the conference. His reception percentage allowed stood at 66.0%, ranking in the bottom eight, and he was tied for giving up the second most touchdowns in the league with four.
Making the leap from being a Division 2 All-American to competing in the Big Ten is no small feat, and to give credit where it's due, Fourqurean did have plenty of nice moments as well. However, an offseason in Wisconsin's strength and conditioning program has done wonders for Fourqurean, and he has taken a step forward physically. He now looks well-positioned to handle one of the starting roles when fall camp opens.
"He is probably the most improved when you look at the weight room, his speed, and how he's moving," Paul Haynes told reporters. "Once we hit mid-season, end of the season, Grand Valley is a great program, but it's totally different. He even said it, I got worn out. I think his confidence has gone up like crazy for us."
If Fourqurean elevates his game as many people inside the building and in the media are expecting, the Badgers' secondary could be scary good.